Telegraph transmitter



March 24, 1959 J. L DE BOO TELEGRAPH TRANSMITTER Filed March 6, 195'7FIG. 3

mvENToR JEROME L. DEBOO ATTORNEY 2,819,333 TELEGRAPH TnANsMrrTER JeromeL. De Boo, Barrington, Ill., assignor to Teletype Corporation, Chicago,lll., a corporation of Delaware Applicaties March 6, 195i, serial No.644,353 6 claims. (el. 11s-33) This invention relates to telegraphtransmitters and more particularly to cam controlled signal generatorsfor telegraph transmitters.

In the past signal generators have been provided which have means builtinto them for locking selector levers in selected positions and forpreventing displacement of the selectors during the transmissioninterval when lthe selector levers are being actuated to effect thetransmission of the message. Apparatus which was capable of performingthis function utilized locking means which were rather complicated andnecessitated the provision of extra apparatus over and above thatnecessary to transmit the signal. r

The principal object of this invention is to provide a compact andefcient cam controlled means for generating telegraph signals. l

Another object of the invention is' to provide a transmitter having init devices which permit an overlap of the transmission of one codesignal and the setting up of another code signal for transmission. y

Another object of the invention is' to provide a signal generatorwherein the settabl'e interponents which actuate the contact device ofthe transmitter may be locked in their set positions in a simple manner.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a telegraphtransmitter including a signal generator wherein the selector leverswhich control the actuation of the contacting device of the transmitterare locked in their set position prior to the time they are actuated toeffect their transmittting operation.

An illustrative embodiment of the invention includes a transmitterhaving a signal generator comprising a rockable member actuated throughthe instrumentality of specially conformed interponents by va series ofcams, each cam having means thereon for first locking the interponentsin their selected set positions and then sequentially actuating theinterponents tocau'se the transmission of the telegraphic code signal.The apparatus includes specially constructed interponents' which havemeans on them for engagement with either one side or the other of ashaft which supports the rockable member to' lock the interponentmembers in their set or selected position prior to their transmittingoperation. y y

A better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to thefollowingl detailed description when considered in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein: I

Fig. l is an elevational view of a signal generator embodying the novelfeatures of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig; lxbut showing an alternate condition ofoperable elements of the device shown in Fig. 1; and j Fig. 3 is a camchart showing the sequence of operation of the cams with respect one toanother.

In the embodiment of the invention described in more detail hereinafter,the details of the telegraph transmitter which cooperate with theapparatus according to the present invention, but which do notconstitute a part of the States Patent combination comprising theinvention, has' not been shown in the drawing and will not be describedherein since they are shown and described in United States' Patent No.2,607,848, granted August 19, 1952, to W. l. Zenner, which disclosure isincorporated herein by ref- 'erence and made a part hereof. Briefly, theapparatus embodying the preferred form of the invention includes a baseportion which is provided at its forward area with 'a keyboard (notshown) of the usual form and which is adapted to house a plurality ofkeylevers 11 (shown in section in Fig. l) and the selector mechanismoperated thereby, exemplified by the code bars 12. Mounted on the baseare a signal generator 13 and related parts which are selectivelycontrolled by the aforementioned selector mechanism of which the codebars form a part. A- motor (not shown) Afor supplying the power foroperating the transmitter is appropriately mounted on the base portionto effect the rotation of the operating shaft 14. The cyclic rotation ofthe transmitting cams 15 carried on shaft 14 is governed by a singlerevolution clutch, as set forth in the aforementioned patent.

Referring now to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the keylevers 11 controlthe setting of code bars 12 permutatively. As set forth in said patent,the code bars 12 are normally biased rightwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1,by individual` springs (not shown), but are held in their leftwardposition by a bail member (similar to bail member 48 disclosed in saidpatent) which bears against suitable shouldered portions on the codebars 12. The code bars are normally restrained against rightwa'rdmovement by' said bail member under the control of a key controlledtripoff means (not shown) of a nature substantially as disclosed in saidpatent.

- As more fully described in `said patent, the clutch for controllingthe rotation of shaft 14 is of the single revolution type, and isnormally locked againstV rotation by a release lever (not shown)controlled by a universal bar 16 upon the actuation of a keylever 11.lAccording to the present invention each ofthe code bars 12 is providedwith a vertically projecting portion 17, the upper end of each of whichportions is adapted to cooperate in abuttal'relation with a projection18 on a specially conformed interponent member 19. The interponentmembers 19 are mounted on a common rod 21 appropriately located abovethe shaft 14, and are provided with individual cam follower portions 22adapted to cooperate with their respective cams 15. The interponentmembers 19 are normally biased downwardly and clockwise rby individualsprings 23. All of the-interponent' members 19 are slotted as shown at24 to permit vertical reciprocating movement thereof by ythe cam 15.Near their upper ends the interponent members 19' are each pro'- videdwith a rectangular aperture 26. These apertures 26 in the interponentmember 19 are formed in the saine position in each member so that whenall of the interponent members are in the 'same relative position all ofthe apertures in them are aligned. Since in the startstop Baudot codethe stop signal is a marking pulse and the start is a spacing pulse theinterponent meinbers 19 associated with the start and stop cams 15 arepermanently held in their right and left-hand positions, respectively,as will be described more in detail hereinafter.

A rod 27 extends through the aligned apertures 26 in the interponentmembers 19 and serves to guide ythe interponent members when they areoscillated by the projections 17 or when they are reciprocated by thecams 15. Suitable guide combs 28 and 29 are provided for guiding theinterponent members 19 in their movements. The lower of these combs,that is, the kcomb 29 also serves as a guide for the projections 17 onthe code bars 12.

The reciprocatory motion imparted to the interponent members 19 is inaccordance with the camming chart shown in Fig. 3. It will be noted thatthe cams assigned to the start and stop signals each has a single camprojection which cams its respective interponent member 19 upwardly in asingle step whereas the cams designated 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 which transmitthe significant signals are each formed with a locking projection inaddition to the signal transmitting projection. It should also be notedthat the interponent members 19 assigned to the start and stop signalsare so shaped that the interponent members 19 for the start and stopsignals are always held in either their locked or their completelyoperated positions. The signal transmitting projections for the codetransmitting cams 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are so aligned that the transmissionof the code signals will take place sequentially. The lockingprojections are, however, all etective to raise the interponent members19 for each of the cams for each of the 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 signals to thelocking position simultaneously. The sig-nal transmitting the portionsof the cams for the code signals are arranged helically around the shaft14 to eifect the reciprocation of the interponent members 19sequentially in a manner well known in the art.

Each of thek interponent members 19 is provided at its upper end with apair of upwardly projecting rocker actuating projections 37 and 38 andwith a locking projection 39 which is located between the two rockeractuating projections 37 and 38. The projections 37 and 38 are adaptedto cooperate with downwardly extending arms 40 and 41, respectively, ofa rockable or oscillatable member 42. The oscillatable or rockablemember 42 is pivoted on a pivot shaft or pin 43. It will be noted byreference to Fig. 1 of the drawings that one of the interponent members19, that is, the interponent member associated with the stop signal hasits central or locking projection 39 held in the left-hand positionwhere it bears against the pivot shaft 43. This interponent member 19associated with the stop signal never moves down to a position where itis unlocked from engagement with the pivot shaft 43 since the signalwhich it transmits is always a marking signal. This result is eected byshaping the cam 15 associated with the stop interponent member 19 sothat it always holds this particular interponent member 19 in its lockedposition. Conversely the interponent member 19 which transmits the startsignal is always locked in its right-hand position to transmit a spacingimpulse or signal by so shaping the cam 15 associated therewith thatthis particular interponent member never moves down below the lockedposition and by assembling this particular interponent member with itslocking projection 39 at the right side of the shaft or pin 43. Y

Since the signal transmitting cams 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 may transmit eithera marking or a spacing signal depending upon the setting of the codebars 12 these cams are so formed that the interponent members 19associated with them may be drawn downwardly by their respective springsto a position where their locking projections 39 are completelydisengaged from the pivot shaft 43 to permit the setting of theseinterponent members 19 by the `code bars 12.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the interponent members are shown in thepositions they occupy when the apparatus is at rest. In this positioninterponent member 19 associated with the stop cam 15 is in its operatedposition and the other interponent members 19 are in their unoperatedpositions. In the operation of the apt paratus the code bars 12associated with the 1, 2, 3, 4 and signals are set or positionedpermutably pursuant to the actuation of a keylever 11. When this occursthe interponents 19 for transmitting the 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 pulses will becorrespondingly positioned in their clockwise or counterclockwisepositions to cause the locking projections 39 to be moved to a positionat the right of or the 4 l left of the pivot shaft 43. Immediately afterthe keylevers are set the shaft 14 starts to rotate and in so doing willfirst release the stop interponent member 19 from its operated positionand will then actuate the interponent member 19 associated with thestart pulse. Simultaneously with the operation of the interponent memberassociated with the start pulse the interponent members 19 associatedwith the 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 pulses or signals will be moved to theirlocked positions where their locking projections 39 will be either tothe right or to the left of the pivot shaft 43 as determined by theselective operation of the code bars 12. These interponents will then belocked in position and it will not be possible to change their setposition until they are retracted to positions where their projections39 will be below the pivot shaft 4 3. As the shaft 14 continues torotate the cams 15 will sequentially move the interponent members 19associated with the start pulse, the 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 pulses upwardlyto transmit a start pulse which is spacing and then the 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5pulses which may be either marking or spacing. After each of the cams 15has thus effected its transmission, as will be described more in detailhereinafter, the cams associated with the interponent members 19 for thel, 2, 3, 4 and 5 pulses will be retracted to their unlocked position.However, the stop and start interponent members will move back only totheir locked positions since they invariably transmit the same signals.From the foregoing it will be apparent that, although the interponentsmay be moved vertically, in sequence, after they have been set in theirset position, they are locked against movement in an oscillatory manner.With this arrangement it is possible to reset or reposition the codebars 12 in accordance with a new code combination while the signalgenerator 13 is operating to transmit the preceding code signal thusproviding an overlap in the operation of the keylevers 11 and thetransmitting signal generator 13.

The mode of operation is further illustrated in Fig. 2 where theinterponent member 19 shown therein has been moved to its right-handposition and has been moved upwardly by its associated cam 15 (not shownin this iigure) thereby to cause the projection 38 to engage the arm 41and to tilt the rockable member 42 to its counterclockwise position. Theshaft 14 in returning to its rest position as illustrated in Fig. 1 willreoperate the interponent member 19 associated with the stop pulse tohold a marking condition on the line until rotation of the shaft 14 isreinitiated bythe operation of another key on the keyboard.

The rockable or oscillatable member 42 has an upwardly projectingextension 44 which cooperates with a pair of stabilizing elements orretainers 45 and 46 suitably supported on studs 47 and 48, respectively,and normally biased towards each other, and towards the extension 44 bya common spring 49. The spring 49 is stretched between a pair ofappropriately formed projections on the retainers 45 and 46. Theseretainers 45 and 46 are alternately effective to maintain the rockableor oscillatable member 42 in either its clockwise or itscounterclockwise position. For example, rockable member 42 in rockingfrom its clockwise position shown in Fig. 1 to its counterclockwiseposition as shown in Fig. 2 will urge the retainer 45 to rotatecounterclockwise about its pivot stud 47 until the end 88 of theretainer 45 has slipped off of the extension 44 of the rockable member42, whereupon retainer 46 will have dropped behind extension 44permitting the spring 49 as shown in Fig. 2 to maintain the rockablemember 42 in the counterclockwise position.

The rockable member 42 functions through a link 56 to control thetransmitting contact assembly contained in the housing 57. Link 56 isarticulated to the rockable member 42 in such a manner that the lefthand(Fig. 1) extremity 58 of link S6 is caused to bear normally in aV-,shaped groove 59 by means of a spring 61 stretched between theopening 62 in the rockable member 42 and a lug 63 on the link 56. Theright-hand end of link 56 as viewed in Fig. 1 is articulated to anoperating lever 64 of the contact assembly by engaging a notch 65therein. Operating lever 64 is connected pivotally to the stemv of aT-shaped lever 66. Each of the arms of the T-lever 66 is provided on itsunderside with a contact point 67 that cooperates respectively withfixed contact points 68 carried on a bracket 69. At a point centrallylocated between the contacts 67, the swingable T-lever 66 is providedwith a V-shaped notch 71 which cooperates with an arm of a substantiallyU-shaped member 72, the other arm of which cooperates with a V-shapednotch 73 in a bracket 74 mounted in the housing 57. A spring 7S havingone end attached to the member 72 has the other end attached to a springpost 76. The spring 75 is thus so connected that the member 72 will beurged normally in a clockwise direction (Fig. l), urging the co-ntactpoints 67 toward their associated contact points 68. With the notch 71centrally located, a balanced pressure is exerted with respect to bothof the contact points 67. vIn actual practice the operating lever 66will normally be held in such a position that only one contact pair67-68 will be closed at a time. Thus, the operating lever 64 will bemaintained in one of its two positions, or moving from one to the other,which causes the T-lever 66 to be positioned in such a position to causeone of the contact points 67 to fulcrum about its associated contactpoint 67. The change of selection is made in the operating lever 64under the control of the rockable member 42 and as will presentlyappear, the T-lever 66 will be moved from one position to the other, andas the lever 66 is not pivoted about an external point it will fulcrumabout the contact pair which is desired to be closed.

After the interponents 19 have been set and locked in their setposition, the helically arranged cams for the 1, 2, 3 and 4 pulses willcoact with the cam portion 22 to sequentially raise the interponents 19.If the rocker projections 37 for certain of the interponents 19 are thusaligned with the downwardly extending arm 40 of the member 42 the member42 will be rocked in a clockwise direction. Conversely, if a rockeractuating projection 38 has been aligned with the downwardly extendingarm 41 of the rockable or oscillatable member 42 then the member 42 willbe rocked in a counter-clockwise direction at the time that theinterponent so aligned is moved by its associated or sequentiallyarranged cam portion.

ln this manner the operation of the keylevers does not` necessarily haveto be delayed until the generator 13 has transmitted the pulses of thecode -but only needs to be delayed until the locking projections 39 onselected interponents 19 have been moved into locking association withthe pivot shaft 43.

Although a preferred form of the invention has been disclosed anddescribed herein, it is obvious that changes may be made in the detailsset forth hereinbefore without departing from the essentials of theinvention.

What is claimed is:

l. ln a transmitter, a signal generator comprising a rockable member, ashaft for oscillatably supporting said member, a series of interponentmembers each having elements operably disposed with respect to saidrockable member, means for setting said interponent members inaccordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code barshaving facilities in abuttable relation with said interponent members,transmitting contact means, means controlled by said rockable member forcontrolling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, a seriesof cams, one for each of said interponent members, cam surfaces arrangedon said cams for actuating said interponent members sequentially, andmeans operable after said interponent members have been actuated by saidcode bars and prior to the sequential actuation of said interponentmembers by said cams for moving certain of said interponent, members-.foloc-.1r them against displacement from their setpositions afs-selectedby the selective operation ofthe codes bars, wherebytransmitting undercontrol of theselected interponent members mayY proceed while asucceeding code signal setting takes place to provide an overlap. n

2. In a transmitter, asignal generator comprising ay rockable member, ashaft for oscillatably supportingsaid member, a series of interponentmembers each having elements operably disposed with respect to saidrockable member, means for setting. said interponent members inaccordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code barshaving facilities in abuttable relation with said interponent members,transmitting contact means, means controlled -by said rockable memberfor controlling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, aseries of cams, one for each of said interponent members, cam surfaces`arranged on said-cams. foractuating said inter-1 ponent memberssequentiallyp a cam surface oncertain of said camsfor actuatingsaidinterponent members simultaneously after-the interponent members `havebeen selectively actuated by; said`code bars and prior to the sequentialactuation of said kinterponent members by said cams, and interlockingmeans comprising cooperating instrumentalities associated with saidinterponent members and said rockable member supporting shaft forholding said interponent members in selected positions after theirselective actuation by the code bars whereby transmitting under controlof the selected interponent mem-bers may proceed while a succeedinglcode signal setting takes place to provide an overlap.l

3. In a transmitter, a signal/generator comprising a rockable member,a-shaftf for-oscillatably supporting said member, a series ofinterponent members each having elements operably disposed with respectto said rockable member, means for setting said interponent members inaccordance with apredetermined code comprising settable code bars havingfacilities in abuttable relation with said interponent members,transmitting contact means, means controlled by said rockable member forcontrolling the actuation of said transmitting contact means, a seriesof cams, one for each of said interponent members, cam surfaces arrangedon said cams for actuating said interponent members sequentially, andmeans operable after said interponent members have been actuated by saidcode bars and prior to the sequential actuation of said interponentmembers Iby said cams for moving certain of said interponent members toengage portions thereof with said shaft and to lock them againstdisplacement from their set positions as selected by the selectiveoperation of the code bars, whereby transmitting under control of theselected interponent members may proceed while a succeeding code signalsetting takes place to provide an overlap.

4. In a transmitter, a signal generator comprising a rockable member, ashaft oscillatably supporting said member, a series of interponentmembers each .having elements operably disposed with respect to saidrockable member, a third element on each of said interponent membersdisposed for locking engagement with said shaft, means for setting saidinterponent members in accordance with a predetermined code comprisingsettable code bars having facilities in abuttable relation with saidinterponent members, transmitting contact means, means controlled bysaid rockable member for controlling the operation of said contactmeans, a series of cams, one for each of said interponent members, camsurfaces arranged on said cams for actuating said interponent memberssequentially, cam surfaces on certain of said cams for actuating theirassociated members simultaneously after the interponent members havebeen selectively actuated by said code bars and prior to the sequentialactuation of said interponent members by said cams, said secondmentioned cam surfaces on said certain cams being operable to move saidinterponent members into 7, i position Where the element disposed onsaid interponent members Abetween thefrst mentioned elements thereonwill engage with the shaft to hold said interponent members in selectedpositions aftertheir selective actuation by the code bars, wherebytransmitting under control of the selected interponent members mayproceed-while a succeeding code signal setting takes place to provide anoverlap. y

5. In a transmitter a signal generator comprising a U-shapedoscillatable or rockable member having vertically directed abutmentportions, a pivot shaft for supporting said member, a series ofsequentially operable cams, an interponent member individuallyassociated with each cam, said interponent member having a pair ofvertically directed elements with confronting abutment portions adaptedto be selectively presented in operative relation to said rst mentionedabutment portions on the oscillatable or rockable member, each of saidinterponent members also having a vertically directed locking elementlocated between the pair of vertically directed elements, cam followerportions formed on each of said interponent members for cooperation withsaid cams, means for setting said interponent members in accordance witha predetermined code comprising settable code bars having facilities inabuttable relation with said interponent members, means for operatingsaid cams to actuate said interponent members sequentially, transmittingcontact means controlled by said oscillatable or rockable member, andcam surfaces on each of said cams for moving said interponent members tocarry the locking one of said vertically directed elements into lockingengagement with the shaft which supports said rockable or oscillatablemember, said last mentioned cam surfaces being etective to lock saidinterponent members in the positions into which they have been set bythe code bars prior to the sequential operation of the interponentmembers to effect the transmission of signals whereby transmittingunder; control of the locked and set selected,interponent members mayproceed while a succeeding'code signal setting of the code bars is beingeffected to provide an overlap.

6. In a transmitter, a signal generator comprising a U-shaped rockablemember having vertically directed abutment portions, a shaft forsupporting said member, a vseries of sequentially operable cams, annterponent member individually associated with each cam, saidinterponent member having a pair of vertically directed elements withconfronting abutment portions selectively presentable in` operablealignment with said rst mentioned abutment portions on the rockablemember, cam

follower meansv integrally formed on said interponent members forcooperating with said cams, means for setting said interponent membersin accordance with a predetermined code comprising settable code barshaving facilities in abuttable relation with said interponent members,means for operating said cams to actuate said interponent memberssequentially,y transmitting contact means, means controlled by saidrockable member for controlling the actuation of said transmittingcontact means, and cam surfaces on each of said cams for moving saidinterponent members to position where a portion of each of saidinterponent members is in locking engagement with the shaft whichsupports the rockable member whereby vertical reciprocating movement ofsaid interponent members is afforded to transmit a code signal while asucceeding code signal setting is set up on the code bars to therebyprovide an overlap.

References Citedin the tile of this patent UNITED STATES Pitrnrsrrs2,677,013 Zenner Apr. 27, 1954 2,781,415 De Boo Feb. 12, 1957 2,795,645Thienemann June 11, 1957

